South Florida Blogger- Family Fun, Reviews, Giveaways, Crafts, Recipes, and More! Get Cozy and Stay Awhile!
Saving Mr. Banks is now available on Blu-ray Combo Pack! This film delves into the story behind the making of Disney’s Mary Poppins and takes a closer look at Walt Disney, the man behind the studio.
Get a taste of the movie with a recipe for Walt’s Family Chili as well as dishes inspired by the film and the era!
Check out these fun clips, too!
Disclosure- I received the item(s) mentioned below to conduct my review. I received no other compensation and my opinions are 100% my own.
There are so many yummy things you can make with the Good Cook Popcorn Ballers. I made Caramel Turtle Popcorn Balls for my official Good Cook Popcorn Ball event post but I decided to also make S’Mores Popcorn Balls, too. Both flavors came out really delicious and were very easy to make. The popcorn baller really helped to make the popcorn balls round and even sized.
Ingredients-
Directions-
~Pop popcorn any method you prefer. I prefer popping it in a pot on the stove for this particular recipe.
~ Melt butter and marshmallows in a medium pot over medium head stirring frequently. When the marshmallows are almost fully melted, remove pot from burner and stir to fully melt the marshmallows. Pour half of the marshmallow mixture over the popcorn and fold gently to coat. Pour the rest of the marshmallow mixture over the popcorn and fold again until completely coated.
~Fold in Golden Grahams cereal and 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips until combined. Allow to cool for a few minutes and fold in remaining chocolate chips so some retain their shape.
~Spray popcorn baller with a light coat of non-stick cooking spray. Fill baller with popcorn mixture in a heaping mound. (You might prefer to butter your fingers to fill the baller and remove the popcorn ball from the mold.)
~Place top on baller and press down until ball is formed. Remove top of baller, take popcorn ball out of mold and place on waxed paper/parchment to cool and harden. Enjoy! (Store in airtight container or wrap individually in cellophane bag to give as gifts.)
Make to to check out Good Cook’s 7 day Popcorn Giveaway on Facebook starting Oct. 7, 2013.
Want to get your own Good Cook Popcorn Baller? Get 25% off to goodcook.com with code: POPCORN
When I was selected to be part of Good Cook’s Popcorn Ballers event I had so many ideas of what flavors to make that I decided to make two different recipes- S’More Popcorn Balls and Caramel Turtle Popcorn Balls. I had never made popcorn balls before but with the Good Cook Popcorn Baller it was really easy. The baller made the popcorn balls round and even sized. Good Cook also sent me other great items to help with the recipes including 2 bowls, a spatula, a candy thermometer, and a sauce pan. You can find them all on the Good Cook website.
Ingredients-
Directions-
~Pop popcorn any method you prefer. I prefer popping it in a pot on the stove for this particular recipe.
~ Melt caramel and 1 tablespoon water in a medium pot over medium head stirring frequently. When almost melted add 1 tablespoon butter and stir until smooth.
~When caramel mixture is smooth, remove pot from burner and pour half over the popcorn and fold gently to coat. Pour the rest of the caramel mixture over the popcorn and fold again until completely coated.
~Fold in chocolate chips and pecans until combined.
~Spray popcorn baller with a light coat of non-stick cooking spray. Fill baller with popcorn mixture in a heaping mound. (You might prefer to butter your fingers to fill the baller and remove the popcorn ball from the mold.) Place top on baller and press down until ball is formed. Remove top of baller, take popcorn ball out of mold and place on waxed paper/parchment to cool and harden. Enjoy! (Store in airtight container or wrap individually in cellophane bag to give as gifts.)
Make to to check out Good Cook’s 7 day Popcorn Giveaway on Facebook starting Oct. 7, 2013.
Want to get your own Good Cook Popcorn Baller? Get 25% off to goodcook.com with code: POPCORN
Disclaimer- I attended a Dunkin Donuts tasting event and received a promotional gift for attending but all opinions are 100% my own.
It’s Fall which means PUMPKIN TIME at Dunkin’ Donuts. I recently attended an event at a local Dunkin’ Donuts where we were able to sample this season’s pumpkin deliciousness. Dunkin’ Donuts has Pumpkin Donuts and Pumpkin Munchkins which both have a light pumpkin taste. They also have pumpkin bagels which I hope to try soon. Now on to my favorite pumpkin food offerings. The pumpkin muffin has a delicious pumpkin flavor but the best part is the white icing and streusel crumb topping. Great for a snack or a breakfast treat. And my favorite pumpkin food at Dunkin’ Donuts is their pumpkin pie donut that has a crumb and icing topping and is filled with a wonderful pumpkin pie filling. YUMMY!
Of course you’ll need something to wash these yummy things down and of course Dunkin’ Donuts has some pumpkin drinks, too. If you are looking to cool off with an iced drink check out the Pumpkin Coolata that has just right amount of pumpkin flavor without being too strong. If you love the taste of pumpkin but want something that has more of a coffee taste then try the Pumpkin White Chocolate Latte either regular or iced. It is absolutely delicious and really hits the spot this Fall season. Don’t forget to top it with whipped cream! Want some pumpkin goodness at home, too? Bring some some pumpkin flavored ground coffee or K-cups.
Hungry but not in the mood for pumpkin? Dunkin’ Donuts doesn’t just have sweets on the menu. Dunkin’ Donuts has a whole line of sandwiches for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or anytime. My favorite is the new Angus Steak Big N’ Toasted which has two eggs, Angus steak, and cheese on 2 slices of Texas toast . Of course any sandwich can be made on any type of bread from English muffins, pretzel rolls, croissants, bagels, tortilla, etc. If you are in the Palm Beach market then you are in luck. They are testing out a new Corned Beef Hash Muffin that features corned beef, egg, and cheese on an English muffin. If you like corned beef, you’ll love this sandwich. Looking for a tasty lunch? Check out their Pretzel Roll Roast Beef Sandwich that includes roast beef, cheese, and Dijon mustard on a soft pretzel roll.
Did you know that National Coffee Day is Sunday, September 29? Head to Dunkin’ Donuts for a free small hot or iced Dunkin’ Donuts coffee at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants throughout the U.S. on September 29th. To redeem this offer you MUST have the Dunkin’ App, the brand’s app for mobile payment and gifting. The Dunkin’ App is available for free from the App Store on iPhone or iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore and from the Google Play Store at https://play.google.com/store. The Dunkin’ App is great because there are always coupons on it for special deals that only people with the app can use. How “sweet” is that?!?! Plus you can pay with the app and send gift cards with the app, too.
Dunkin’ Donuts has also brewed a big opportunity for guests to bring home America’s Favorite Coffee for National Coffee Day at a discounted price. For two days only, September 28 and 29, Dunkin’ Donuts’ 16-ounce packaged coffee is available for only $5.99 at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants nationwide and online while supplies last, with a limit of two per guest*. Available in favorite flavors such as Original Blend, Dunkin’ Decaf® and French Vanilla, Dunkin’ Donuts’ packaged coffee is a great way to enjoy the taste of fresh Dunkin’ Donuts coffee at home.
Also on September 28 and 29, guests can purchase Dunkin’ Donuts K-Cup® packs at a special price of $7.99 for a 14-count box. The offer is available at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants nationwide while supplies last, with a limit of two per guest*. Dunkin’ K-Cup® packs, for use with Keurig® K-Cup® single cup brewers, are perfect for coffee lovers looking to enjoy great-tasting Dunkin’ Donuts coffee at home, one cup at a time, at just the touch of a button. Sold exclusively at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants, Dunkin’ Donuts’ K-Cup® packs are offered in five popular flavors, including Original Blend, Dunkin’ Decaf®, French Vanilla, Hazelnut and Dunkin’ Dark® Roast. For a limited time in Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants, this month you can also find Mocha, Pumpkin, and Hot Cocoa Dunkin’ Donuts K-Cup® packs.
I recently reviewed ips chips that are high in protein and low in fat.
Want to try them yourself?
3 lucky winners will each win a package of each flavor.
Enter below:
Lunches Around the World with Little Passports!
Kids around the world are preparing to go back to school—that means homework, new friends and … lunch? Yes, that’s right! Let’s visit different countries and see what yummy food the school kids eat every day!
France– French children enjoy a 3 or 4-course meal that is made from high-quality ingredients, and are mostly made from scratch. The children all sit in the same eating area, the cafeteria. An interesting fact is that there are no vending machines in schools, because they’re banned due to the high sugar and fat content of the treats they carry. Typical school lunches here can have a variety of dishes and ingredients, such as grilled fish, salad, red beans, seasonal vegetables, garlic sausage, fruit salads and chocolate flan (just to name a few). Another perk is that the food is served on plates and eaten with real silverware!
Japan– In Japan, the school lunch ingredients are locally sourced and almost never frozen; in addition, the schools employ nutrition experts that work with kids and teach them the importance of good eating habits. Like the children in France, Japanese kids also eat in a community-like setting with their peers, and even their teachers! The children also wear white hats and robes to serve their classmates, which teaches them teamwork and respect. You can expect to find lots of rice, vegetables, fish, soup, and meat on the plate.
South Africa– South African school meals have natural ingredients such as corn, squash, sweet potatoes, and yams. There’s also rice, soft porridge, and meat that is sprinkled in with the vegetables. A special stew is made called potjiekos (named after a potjie, a three-legged pot), which originated from Dutch settlers. The cook puts vegetables, meat, potatoes, and spices into the pot, which is heated by small amounts of wood and twigs. After cooking, the result is a delectable stew!
Colombia– Colombian school lunch ingredients usually vary from region to region, but can contain rice, potatoes, fruit, beans, meatballs, and vegetables such as corn and avocados. There’s a special vegetarian menu also available, and children from 2 to 5 years old have their food cut and portioned into smaller sizes.
We hope you enjoyed our lunch trip around the world, and perhaps found inspiration to try new foods at your own dinner table!
Disclosure: I received the product mentioned below to facilitate my review. I received no other compensation and all opinions are 100% my own.
As a member of the Good Cook bloggers I took part in the Stuffed Burger competition and received a cast iron grill as part of the stuffed burger kit to create my recipe. I have always wanted a grill pan so I was excited to be a part of this event. Now that I have a grill pan I was even more excited when the next event was announced- BACON! Who doesn’t love bacon, right? I received a Good Cook Bacon Press to use with my cast iron grill pan to create my bacon masterpiece. Bacon presses are great to keep bacon flat while cooking so it doesn’t curl up but they are also great for making a panini sandwich, flat iron steak, and lots more. Keep any eye out for more recipes featuring my grill pan and grill press coming soon.
For my bacon recipe I tried to come up with something different. I love a good BLT sandwich but that seemed too obvious. I considered making a breakfast sandwich with bacon but again that didn’t seem creative enough. That’s when I decided to make two different desserts with bacon- Chocolate Covered Bacon and a Maple Bacon Milkshake. These recipes aren’t for the faint of heart but a true bacon lover will appreciate the sweet and smokey flavors in these recipes. Enjoy!
Chocolate Covered Bacon
Ingredients:
1/2 pound of bacon
1 cup dark chocolate
1 cup milk chocolate
1/2 cup white chocolate
Cook bacon in grill pan with grill press. Keep flipping until done on each side.
(Try not to set off the smoke alarm like I did. True story! I set my smoke alarm off tonight cooking bacon!)
Drain bacon on paper towel and allow bacon to cool.
Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Melt chocolate over a double boiler or in a bowl in the microwave for about 1 minute 15 seconds at 70% power. Stir until smooth.
Dip each piece of bacon in chocolate until completely covered. Allow excess to drip back into bowl.
Place chocolate covered bacon on covered cookie sheet.
Dip fork into white chocolate and drizzle over already dipped bacon pieces.
Cool in refrigerator until chocolate is hardened.
Store in refrigerator.
Enjoy!
Maple Bacon Milkshake
Ingredients:
(Makes 2 servings)
4 slices of bacon
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 Tablespoons REAL Maple Syrup
4 cups Vanilla ice cream
1 cup of milk
Spread brown sugar on a plate and dip each piece of bacon in it covering all sides.
Cook bacon in grill pan with grill press. Keep flipping until done on each side.
NOTE~ The bacon will not get quite as crispy as regular bacon because it will have a candied glaze from the caramelized brown sugar.
Drain on paper towel and set bacon aside to cool.
When bacon is cooled, cut it into small pieces using kitchen shears.
Reserve enough bacon to crumble on the top of each milkshake to garnish.
In blender blend ice cream, milk, maple syrup, and bacon pieces until well blended.
Pour maple syrup down sides of 2 glasses and swirl around for garnish if desired.
Pour milkshake into 2 glasses.
Garnish with reserved bacon crumbles.
Enjoy right away!
Want your own Good Cook Burger Tools including the grill pan and bacon press?
Go to GoodCook.com and use code BaconLovers to get 25% off your order.
Disclosure: We received the products mentioned below to facilitate our review. We received no other compensation and all opinions are 100% our own.
It’s back to school time which means back to making lunches for my girls to bring with them. I am always looking for healthy snacks to add to my girls’ lunches or for them to munch on after school. I was introduced to NatureBox last month and was sent one of their monthly shipments to try out some of their snacks. Each much Nature Box ships subscribers 4-6 full size snacks to try (15 to 20 servings). We received Cocoa Waffle Wafers, Santa Fe Corn Stix, Sweet Blueberry Almonds, Teriyaki Twists, and Cherry Berry Bonanza.
Cocoa Waffle Wafers- My husband liked these the best. They were crispy and chocolaty but a little dry for my taste. I think they would be better dunked in milk or coffee.
Santa Fe Corn Stix- These corn sticks were AMAZING!!! All of us loved these crunchy, tangy sticks that were similar to corn chips but much tastier and sweeter. I wish we could buy these all the time!
Sweet Blueberry Almonds- These almonds are surrounded in a delicious blueberry powder and were quite addictive. I couldn’t stop eating them. They were so good!
Teriyaki Twists- These teriyaki flavored rice crackers are crunchy with a savory teriyaki taste. My children thought they were just ok but my husband and I liked them.
Cherry Berry Bonanza- This was a yummy blend of dried cherries, blueberries, and cranberries and a great way to get my kids to eat a little more fruit.
Nature Box sends 4-6 full-sized packages with healthy snacks that taste great. Each month subscribers receive different snacks to try. Satisfaction is guaranteed and you can cancel at any time. I love that my girls get excited to try the new snacks. It breaks us out of our snack rut and we all get to try new things. You know it’s good when I didn’t even get a chance to take pictures of the snacks before they were devoured. For only $19.95 per month you can receive healthy snacks delivered to your door, too.
Try NatureBox now.
Use code SNACKTIME and get 50% off your first box.
(Promotion is good for 50% off any of our 3 box sizes. Valid only on the 1st month’s box. New customers only. Not valid on gift subscriptions and may not be combined with any other offers.)
Love With Food is a great food subscription that sends 8 or more organic, all-natural snacks right to your door every month for as low as $10 per month. Every month, Love With Food members will receive a curated box of unique, hard-to-find tasty snacks which varies based on seasonal themes. The best part is that for every box sold, they donate a meal to several food banks such as the Feeding America Network and Share Our Strength – No Kid Hungry. Join them to help end child hunger one meal at a time!
If you sign up for a Love With Food subscription from now until 8/31/13 and use code BLOGHER13 you can get your first box for FREE. Just pay $2 shipping. So for $2 you will receive a box of goodies and a hungry child will receive a free meal. This is a no brainer! Plus this month’s box was curated by celebrity CHEF MING TSAI and is 100% gluten-free .
